Zaxcom Nova 2
Nova 2 is an updated version of Zaxcom's Nova complete sound solution. It is a mixer, a recorder, a ZaxNet remote control and it has two built-in wireless receiver slots, all in one compact and lightweight device. Fully loaded with two slot-in receivers, Nova 2 can receive up to 8 transmitter signals, and it is the smallest, neatest, most complete portable sound package on the market today.
A fully loaded Nova 2 weighs only 3 lbs, 8 oz. Nova has built-in RF filtering, distribution, amplification, metering, and ZaxNet remote control. Slot-in receivers increase reliability since there's almost no external wiring, so you can build a Nova kit into the tiniest, lightest sound bag.
Why a one-box rig matters on NYC shoots
Location sound in New York rarely happens in a quiet studio. We work in walk-ups, on subway platforms, in the back of moving vehicles, on rooftops and in crowded restaurants, often with little room to set down a full cart. Every cable in a sound bag is another thing that can fail, snag on a doorway or get bumped mid-take. A rig with the receivers built into the mixer removes most of that wiring, which means fewer failure points and a faster setup when the crew is already moving to the next location.
Weight matters just as much. A mixer who carries a bag on their shoulder for a twelve hour day feels every pound, and a smaller bag is easier to move through tight spaces, pack into a car or carry up several flights of stairs. Cutting the box count also means fewer batteries to manage and fewer things to power on and check before the first shot.
What is in the box
Mixer. The front panel has five faders with LED rings and a screen with metering for the wireless channels and the outputs, so you can see what every transmitter and output is doing at a glance. That is the same job a larger cart-based mixer does, in a much smaller body.
Recorder. Nova 2 records as well as mixes, so a mixer can capture isolated tracks of each actor and a mix track for camera without carrying a separate recorder. Backing up every take in the same box that you monitor from keeps the workflow simple, and it gives the post production team clean, separate tracks to work with.
Wireless receivers. Two slots take slot-in receivers, and with both slots filled the unit can receive up to 8 transmitter signals. That covers a large share of the productions we work on, from a two person interview to a busy scene with several actors wearing lavalier microphones and a boom operator feeding the mix.
RF filtering, distribution and amplification. New York is one of the most crowded RF environments in the world. Built-in filtering and antenna distribution help the receivers pick out the signals we want among broadcast television, cellular, other crews' wireless and everything else in the air.
ZaxNet remote control. ZaxNet lets the mixer adjust supported transmitters remotely, for example changing settings on a wireless microphone on an actor without walking up and touching them between takes. On a fast paced set, that saves time and keeps the crew moving.
Who it is for
Nova 2 suits the kind of work where a small bag is a real advantage: documentaries, commercials, corporate and branded content, run-and-gun shoots, small narrative productions, and any situation where the sound department has to stay as light and unobtrusive as the camera department. Larger productions with big cast counts may still want a bigger cart, but for most day to day location work in the city a kit like this covers the job.
Like the rest of the gear in our kits, it works alongside the Zaxcom transmitters and recorders we already trust. Read more about the brand in our article on Zaxcom.
Book a mixer with a Nova 2 kit
Our mixers bring professional gear to every shoot in New York City. See our services or meet the sound mixers, then contact us to book. Booking is free.
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